A 31-day yoga challenge is a golden opportunity for kindling a more intentional yoga routine that better reflects your life goals and values. You may think that 31 days seems simultaneously daunting AND achievable, and you’d be right! A steady practice can spark true personal growth, as well as real physical results.
Setting an intention for the Yoga Challenge
Yoga Challenge Veterans
If you have already participated in a yoga challenge before (whether one of ours or a different one), as a veteran, you have seen first-hand how participating in a community, and forming part of a collective, is proven to assist in attaining and maintaining the goal of a more consistent yoga practice. This time around, you may want to anchor your focus on something specific, like building arm strength, increasing hip mobility, or finding stability in inversions. Or maybe your daily yoga practice has been slipping recently, and you’d just like to get your happy, healthy routine back.
Yoga Challenge Beginners
If you’ve never participated in a yoga challenge before, as a first-timer, you may come into the challenge with the goal of forming a more consistent yoga practice. Focusing on your intention can be transformative, and as you begin to notice significant progress, it will keep you motivated to stick with it. Most times in life, the behaviors that require conscious effort and thought are the ones that come with the most rewards.
Anticipating obstacles during the Yoga Challenge
Once you set your intention for the challenge, it’s important to also be realistic with your expectations, and show yourself compassion. It takes commitment and patience to commit to any challenge. Prepare for the hurdles you have encountered already when attempting to establish a more consistent yoga practice. It can help to be proactive with a ready response before they happen.
- If your busy schedule is what most often derails your best efforts:
- Use this as the perfect excuse (as if you need one!) to wear your comfiest athleisure all day every day, so you’re always ready. Then set an alarm for the time when you must leave to get to class on time. This way you don’t even have to think about it or make the decision—you’re all dressed up and have a place to go!
- If losing steam tends to be what causes you to stumble in your goals:
- Recruit an accountability buddy to join you! Having a close friend who is waiting for you to go to class together can be incredibly motivating.
- If flagging motivation is what most often hinders your best intentions:
- Tell someone whose opinion you value that you’re committed to doing this challenge. It can work as a hands-off accountability measure because you won’t want to have to admit to them that you quit when they ask you about it.
- If you’re the type who always chooses to make a pose more challenging when given the option, or you tend to go really hard or do too much straightaway, and then later suffer injuries:
- Be sure to listen to any little tweaks in your joints and ligaments, and rest tired muscles. Even though it’s nice to be able to surprise yourself by trying a new aspect of an asana, keep stamina in mind. A month is simultaneously a short amount of time and a long amount of time, so resilience is important.
- It is also a great idea to switch things up by varying the class styles and instructors—one day take a Power Yoga class with Yusef, the next day practice Zen Yoga with Joane, etc… Take it slow and steady. As always, balance is the key to longevity.
Even if you don’t do the full 31 days, you will still feel proud of yourself for the attempt and the effort. And remember: “I really regret taking that yoga class” —said nobody ever.
What to expect after completing the Yoga Challenge
After a month of dedicated practice (3-5 times a week), participants consistently note improved balance and posture, an increase in flexibility, mobility, proprioception, as well as a boost in confidence and mindfulness. There’s also a good chance you’ll fall in love with yoga all over again.
Here are just a few more of the benefits you’ll notice from a 31-day yoga challenge:
- Strength gain and muscle tone if you practice at least 3-4 times a week
- Reduction in feelings of depression and anxiety
- Regular exercise provided by practicing yoga asanas, paired with the mental and emotional benefits of meditation can improve sleep quantity and quality
- It’s a great opportunity to try out different class styles and instructors at your studio as a way to keep things new and interesting and avoid ruts. It’s just as important to figure out what you don’t like as what you do like
Seeing progress in any of the above aspects of your life can light the flame of motivation to keep going, and fire up a consistent and fulfilling yoga practice beyond the yoga challenge itself.
Any time is the right time to commit to your practice. Maybe you’ll experience a flicker of insight or big epiphany perfectly on the last day, but most likely there will be several sparks or lightbulbs turned on throughout the month. No matter what, we can assure a new point of view or way of seeing things going forward, coupled with renewed motivation and increased physical strength.
And to make the deal even sweeter, at Ignite Yoga our Spark Change Challenge incorporates warm fuzzies by donating all proceeds to two great local non-profits.
So what are you waiting for? The best time to start your yoga practice is right NOW. Sign up for the Spark Change Challenge today!
If you’ve ever done a yoga challenge with us before, please share your story – we’d love to hear from you!
